Computer Cycles, but never starts (Physical Memory Dump)

[rokerij]

Hello,
Three days a week we take our server down, copy and back up our database and restart the servers. Today we had issues, luckily I was able to get the database copied, but unfortunetly I was unable to copy any other files before the issue began. So, I shut down an IBM Netfinity 3000 Server running NT 4.0 SP 6, when I restarted it went into a Chkdisk and ScnDisk utility, I was intrigued, she worked fine on Friday. I let her finish, and she restarted, like they do. Except now she cycles through her boot sequence but never gets to the OS. I get the screen that allows me to choose what system to load i.e.:

NT 4.0
NT 4.0 (VGA Mode)
MS-DOS

I choose the first one, and she goes to the black screen that states OS Loader, next screen, is a blue one with the RAM and other Microsoft stuff listed (normal operation), the next screen is a quick blue screen, what I can read (it's gone in a split second). The computer has performed a physical memory dump, could not find DLL, and then it starts it cycle again, but this time with out the ScnDisk. Any Ideas on how to recover the valuable information before I loose it all? Including my mind! Thanks

S.C. Albertin
Database Administrator/Newbie Tech
United Way

Help me to find my way, so that I may help others find theirs...

 

[Walter349]

I would say that you have somehow trashed the MFT. Try restarting the server with a ERD and that should recover the MFT, failing that boot with an NT boot disk and use a utility called BCUPDATE.EXE to fix the MFT.

 

[rokerij]

We have no ERD, sadly. The boot disks no matter which ones we use, all have the same error - NTLDR failed to load. Any other ideas, how about upgrading the OS to 2000 Server, would that just cause more issues?

S.C. Albertin
Database Administrator/Newbie Tech
United Way

Help me to find my way, so that I may help others find theirs...

 

[Walter349]

I do have an NT boot disk in a self extracting file that will take care of this for you. I can email it to you if you wish

 

[teklad]

I've seen a similar thing before... If you go into the system setup when the server boots, then come out without doing anything... mysteriously it fixes the problem..

let me know